Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, but it also presents significant risks to our online security. To protect your privacy and data, it’s crucial to follow some basic practices. For tips on using secure passwords and two-factor authentication, read our article 5 Tips for Securing Your Home Devices.

1. Privacy Settings

Privacy settings allow you to control who can see your information and posts. By adjusting these settings, you can limit access to your personal content.

• Regularly check your privacy settings: Ensure that your posts are only visible to your friends or trusted contacts if the photo contains places you are currently at or personal information.
• Restrict access to your personal information: Limit the visibility of your profile, photos, and friends lists.

Hackers use this information to learn more about you. Some may even monitor your movements to see if you are traveling, leading to burglaries knowing that you are away.

2. Be Wary of Scams

Cybercriminals often use social media to send fraudulent messages aimed at stealing your personal information.

• Be skeptical of unexpected messages: Do not click on links in messages from strangers or even those you know if they do not speak as usual or try to create a sense of urgency.
• Verify the profiles of contacts: Before accepting a friend request, make sure the profile is authentic.

3. Avoid Sharing Sensitive Information

Sharing too much personal information can expose your data to risks.

• Think before posting: Avoid sharing your address, phone number, or financial information.
• Use privacy settings: Limit the visibility of sensitive posts to a small circle of people.
• Be cautious with games and posts: Avoid participating in games that ask for personal information or posting photos that reveal your location or other sensitive data.

Thanks to image search engines, a photo can be searched to try to find out your address.

4. Managing Apps and Third-Party Connections

Third-party apps are applications developed by companies other than the social network itself. They can access your personal data on social media.

• Review app permissions: Remove apps you no longer use or that ask for too much access.
• Use secure connections: When logging into a social network via a third-party app, make sure the app is secure.

For example, when using your Facebook profile to log into an application to go faster than creating a profile, ensure the application is secure.

By following these tips, you can significantly improve the security of your social media use and protect your personal information. For more advice and cybersecurity training, join the Cyber Care Knights and become a proactive actor in protecting your digital home.